Lego vs them...

[Hauntedwebby]

So I scored another large quantity of LEGO bricks and parts, which actually had many things I've been looking for. After cleaning them, and starting to sort I noticed there are many blocks from "them guys" .. the M<censor> kind.

They seem to work okay with the official good guys (LEGO bricks), so I was thinking of using them for unseen foundations for building different heights on a display. They look terrible and off color, so I'd never want them seen.

Good idea, or just throw them away? I don't want to commit any LEGO blasphemy by mixing with "them guys".

[SweetiePie88]

Depends. If you're a purist, then donate the mega blocks. Otherwise hold onto them.

[mpfirnhaber]

Some of us collect other brands too. Me, I collect 2x4 bricks. I have a total of 257 unique 2x4 bricks across 25 different (non-LEGO) brands. That's in addition to 63 colors modern 2x4 Lego bricks, 35 colors of Duplo 2x4s, 28 colors of Modulex, 4 colors of Soft, 3 colors of Jumbo, and 2 colors of Quatro 2x4s... and about 100 different 2x4 Lego test strikes, many in non-production colors :)

[Hauntedwebby]

That's the tough question, SweetiePie88. I know I'm not keeping the Tyco or unknown misc weird blocks. I'd like to think I'm a purist, but it's a foundation. Do I subject LEGO bricks to such a menial task? But then again, the foundation can make or break a build. I'll probably just use foam blocks to create height, to keep baseplates from bowing.

I think I'm just too indecisive to plan anything properly. lol I think for now I'll keep them, but separate from my main building bricks. They will most likely collect dust.

Cheers

Webby

[Iria]

I can relate to the dislike of 'contamination' between bricks brands, though I've met plenty of kids that will identify any brick toy they see 'Lego', So I would probably toss them in a bag and donate them. I bet there's quite a few kids would be happy to play them.

[notaromantic]

Some of us collect other brands too. Me, I collect 2x4 bricks. I have a total of 257 unique 2x4 bricks across 25 different (non-LEGO) brands. That's in addition to 63 colors modern 2x4 Lego bricks, 35 colors of Duplo 2x4s, 28 colors of Modulex, 4 colors of Soft, 3 colors of Jumbo, and 2 colors of Quatro 2x4s... and about 100 different 2x4 Lego test strikes, many in non-production colors :)

Yea, I have a color collection going, also. The downside of it all is that, while trying to amass this collection, I can not tell you now exactly how many times I've seen an odd or unknown color listed, believing it to be a special color that made it out of the factory, as some do - only to find, after placing an order, and often an order placed purposely to obtain this rare color of brick, and then filled out with random parts in order to meet a minimum BL buy - that the brick I received is not LEGO at all.

I don't mind them being out there, but I, I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in mixing my LEGO with clone-LEGO, and the fact that these parts are now making their way into BrickLink store inventories and being sold, whether purposely or not, as rare LEGO colors - well, that does bother me.

If I pay for LEGO, I expect LEGO.

There's such an influx of new BL stores, because of the popularity of LEGO, yet it does seem that many of these new sellers do not care to attend to the details that operating a LEGO business requires. Being familiar with LEGO colors and LEGO parts is not a difficult thing to do, but it does take time - this should be prerequisite to operating a BL-type of store. I'd like to give people the benefit of the doubt, and I do know that trying to obtain that first 20 or so good-feedback replies may be difficult for new sellers, because many people are hesitant to purchase from someone with low feedback. But I do, with the thought that, with my purchase, it'll help this new seller get on their feet - but lately, it has happened so often to me that I've received misidentified colors and clone parts, my gears are grinding, and its turning my BrickLink-ing experience, which is usually my time of contentment and escape, into a real headache.

My "order" page is literally covered with "Cancelled" transactions, and my message page inundated with rants and apologies. Its never looked that way before.

Do these 'other' brands mold a logo into their parts at at all? The ones I've received by mistake have no markings on them...

I say melt 'em all down. They are an invasive species, as far as I'm concerned. And my LEGO ecosystem is beginning to feel the effects of their encroachment - which can only get worse.

Edited April 7, 2015 by notaromantic

[Peppermint_M]

This one again.

So, do what you like. If you come across some unique parts you like or discover you need a lot of filler then use them. If not, then donate.

I have a large collection of off-brands, some figure accessories are included with my LEGO while the bricks gathered dust. I sorted a big bag of off-brand figures, bricks and other parts and gave them to a little girl I know who loves building but hasn't got many bricks.

[mpfirnhaber]

Yea, I have a color collection going, also. The downside of it all is that, while trying to amass this collection, I can not tell you now exactly how many times I've seen an odd or unknown color listed, believing it to be a special color that made it out of the factory, as some do - only to find, after placing an order, and often an order placed purposely to obtain this rare color of brick, and then filled out with random parts in order to meet a minimum BL buy - that the brick I received is not LEGO at all.

I would call that obscenely bad luck. In 120 orders I have never received a non-LEGO part from BL.

Are you certain they're not LEGO? Many rare colors come only as test bricks which may or may not say LEGO on the studs. Some just have letters & numbers.

Do these 'other' brands mold a logo into their parts at at all? The ones I've received by mistake have no markings on them...

I say melt 'em all down. They are an invasive species, as far as I'm concerned. And my LEGO ecosystem is beginning to feel the effects of their encroachment - which can only get worse.

There are hundreds of other brands. Some have logos on the studs and some do not. I purposefully collect as many as I can, and have yet to find one that I can't immediately distinguish from LEGO by looking at the color, the plastic, the mold, etc. TYCO is probably the closest in terms of plastic, color, and quality, but they all say TYCO right across the top. Actually no, I have a pile of bricks that I'm 90% sure are TYCO but they're blank, but again, obviously not LEGO.

Keep in mind that there have been clone bricks since the start of LEGO in the 1950s. Actually LEGO itself is a clone of a product by Kiddicraft called Self-Locking Building Bricks. So be careful what you wish for :)

Edited April 7, 2015 by mpfirnhaber

[bemuser]

I have not seen any mention of Tente here. They made some awesome space kits in the 80s that rivaled the Classic Space era in my opinion

[notaromantic]

I would call that obscenely bad luck. In 120 orders I have never received a non-LEGO part from BL.

I would call that, 120 orders without such incident, considering what I've experienced in the orders I've placed since the LEGO movie hit, obscenely good luck, on your part. Half of the WalMart aisle is no longer LEGO, but represent many of the companies already mentioned.

From asking several of these sellers how this happened, many of them have indicated that they purchased large, random lots off of the bay in order to fill a store inventory as quickly as possible - as sellers do; especially new sellers - and they admitted that they really did not pay much attention to what was mixed in with what. It was entered without much discretion right into the BL inventory. ... Because, you know, people have busy lives to live, right? ...and a BL store is just a "past time", and not a full-time concern.

Are you certain they're not LEGO? Many rare colors come only as test bricks which may or may not say LEGO on the studs. Some just have letters & numbers.

Thats the point: I'm not sure. Not anymore. I'm not sure of what I'm getting when shopping around for a rare color or rare part. There's not much to distinguish, an many of these seller's minds, the difference between "rare" Lego and non-Lego. It's just not in the database, so it is listed as an unknown color, or special part, or possible prototype, etc.... For some collectors, finding rare LEGO is a true passion; and obviously, you know exactly what I speak of, here. Everything there, in many BL inventories, that once were listed as HTF, or RARE, is now suspect. And let's don't even start on custom molders and custom printers - BL is a market. LEGO is a market. What's to keep things like this out of such a successful market. - Really, nothing more than personal discretion and honesty when it comes to someone listing items, because there are so many ways to bypass the official database of items. But, this personal discretion and honesty, in a successful market, and moreso in a booming market, seem to be the first things to go. BL is no different. LEGO is no different. And neither are the motives that lay behind many of these companies. "Jump on the bandwagon. But there's no room for ethical thinking in this cart. Leave that behind." Its human nature. Always has been that way. Find honey, become insects.

Keep in mind that there have been clone bricks since the start of LEGO in the 1950s. Actually LEGO itself is a clone of a product by Kiddicraft called Self-Locking Building Bricks. So be careful what you wish for :)

Yea. I think many of us are of aware of the LEGO history, and of the controversies therein. But truth be told, LEGO stuck it out, and put the work into it, even when it was economically insensible to do so. And LEGO is the product that made it to my doorstep and then entered the machinery of my imagination; so many of us share in that same story. But I don't have to "sell" LEGO to any of you; we wouldn't be here if we were not aware of what LEGO is.

And I respect your point of view, but I can't help but think it is also heavily influenced by your own interest in what these "other" companies offer. Which is fine. You want to keep them alive. You now have an affinity for what they offer. And you should be able to engage that, where and when you wish to. It's called freedom. However, personally, I'm not, and therefore I don't. And my gripe is settled in the fact that, even if I don't want to, I'm now having to...

Its nothing that resembles bad luck. It just is what it is. In many instances, those instances increasing, we are not aware of what we are purchasing anymore. And if that is not someone's concern, to be aware of what they are purchasing, then no problem for them - consumerism often is steered by demand, rather than reason - but for those who do care what they purchase, and we have our reasons, many of us do, it just is unsettling. It is.

Edited April 7, 2015 by notaromantic

[Pato Sentado]

TENTE where quite different, the studs had a hole in them and te lower part of the pieces had little cilinders that could be put between the studs or IN them, so there were more possibilities, getting a 2x3 over a 42x2, for example.

Also had a lot of special pieces such as windows, antennae, and specially ships front and row ends.

We area talking about the 70s, when Lego was still quite basic.

They also had military themed colors (Navy Grey and olive drab) and pieces, such as missiles, machine gunsand naval gun turrets, when Lego had forbidden any military application of their kits.

TENTE fit:

 

 

 

[koalayummies]

Random 6-year necrobump!

[Alexandrina]

18 minutes ago, koalayummies said:

Random 6-year necrobump!

Why?

[Pato Sentado]

I know, but wanted to reply to this topic, this was the most recent post about the item. Sorry.

[Alexandrina]

53 minutes ago, Pato Sentado said:

I know, but wanted to reply to this topic, this was the most recent post about the item. Sorry.

To be honest, I missed your post and thought @koalayummies had posted his comment to revive the thread. This one's on me for not being able to read things properly!

[Peppermint_M]

Cool extra information about a brand 

I still have plenty of odd bricks, some of them are great quality.

These days I use them when displaying for kids to play with.